Examination of the relationship between parental conflict and aggression in adolescents

In this research, the relationship between interparental conflict perceived in adolescents and aggression was investigated. It was also examined whether the aggression levels of adolescents differed significantly in terms of gender, maternal and paternal education level, maternal employment status. It was also examined whether the sub-dimensions of parental conflict level (conflict characteristics, threats, self-blame) perceived by the adolescents differed significantly in terms of gender, maternal and paternal education level and maternal employment status. The research group of the research in which the descriptive research model was applied is composed of 228 girls and 265 boys 493 students in total in 6th and 7th grade in five state secondary schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Bahçelievler, İstanbulin 2014-2015 academic year. In this research, "Buss and Perry Aggression Scale" developed by Buss and Perry (1992), adapted to Turkish by Öngen (2009) and "Children's Perception of Marital Conflict Scale" developed by Grych Seid and Fincham (1992), adapted to Turkish by Öz (1999) and Personal Information Form developed by the researcher herself were applied. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, Kruskall Wallis test, Tukey test, Mann Whitney U-tests and Multiple Regression Analysis were used in the analysis of the obtained data. Significance level in the study was accepted as .05. As a result of research, perceived interparental conflict level significantly predicted adolescents' aggression level. Low significant relationship was found between the parental conflict level subscales (conflict properties, threats, self-blame) perceived by the adolescents and aggression level subscales, anger, physical aggression and hostility. However, no significant relationship was found for the verbal aggression subscale. In addition, conflict characteristicssub-dimension of parental conflictand threat scores perceived by adolescents were not found to differ significantly in terms of gender but self-blame scores differed significantly in terms of gender. It was seen that the scores of male adolescents were higher than the scores of female adolescents. When the total aggression levels of the adolescents were examined according to the demographic variables, it was found that there was a meaningful difference only according to sex. In addition, although the anger level subscale of adolescents did not show any significant difference according to gender and mother's working status, it showed a significant difference according to the level of education of mother and father. The physical aggression level of the adolescents did not show any significant difference according to the level of mother's education level and mother's working status, but it showed a significant difference according to sex and father's education level. It was found that verbal aggression level of the adolescents did not show any significant difference according to gender, education level of mother and father and mother's working status. Adolescents' hostility level did not show any significant difference according to gender, mother's education level and mother's working status but showed significant difference according to father's education level.